FROM DAYS GONE BY

20 Years Ago

From The Files Of July 13, 1989 '89 State police at the McConnellsburg station are continuing their investigation into the discovery of two large, cultivated plots of

marijuana plants found on state gamelands in Brush Creek Township last week. Last Tuesday police arrived at the scene and pulled the plants from the ground, removing 413 plants form one plot and 541 plants from the second plot. The size of the plots indicated that this was a commercial operation rather than a plot being grown for personal use. Most of the 944 plants pulled had reached heights of about three and a half feet. The plants were doused with gasoline and burned behind the PennDOT building on July 6. No arrests have been made in the case.

Dr. Thomas E. Cullen Jr. will establish a practice of family medicine in Fulton County. Cullen will join Dr. Gerald Lorentz, a family practitioner and director of radiology at Fulton County Medical Center.

McConnellsburg's Roger Watkins picked up his first win of the season Saturday in Port Royal's 15-lap Limited Late Model run. Roger pilots the Tex Shaffer Ford housed over in Mercersburg.

Needmore Bible Church was the setting for the wedding of Jennifer Mellott to Dan Gordon on Saturday, April 29. Parents of the couple are Jean Mellott of Hagerstown and Forrest R. Mellott of Big Cove Tannery and Blaine and Donna Gordon of Needmore.

Karen Fix and Clifford Price were united in marriage June 9 at First Presbyterian Church in Winchester, Va. The bride is the daughter of Reuben Hann of Knobsville and Florence Hulman of Harrisonville. The groom is the son of William and Nancy Price of Fort Loudon.

Births at the Medical Center: a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Hege Jr. of Waynesboro on June 30; a son to Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Weicht of Warfordsburg on July 3; a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Roger Hege II of Mercersburg on July 3; a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Charles McFadden III on July 3; a son to Mr. and Mrs. Mark Fix of Hustontown on July 6; a son to Mr. and Ms. James Post of Needmore on July 6.

Jacqualine DeShong and Shawn Berkstresser were united in marriage May 28 in Sideling Hill Christian Church. Parents of the couple are Denver and Dorothy Deshong of Harrisonville and Harvey Berkstresser of Hustontown and Andrea Berkstresser of McConnellsburg.

From The Files Of July 12, 1979 '79 A brawl which started at the Double J in Mc- Connellsburg and ended up in a shooting in Thompson Township early Tuesday morning

continues to be investigated by state police. At press time, no arrests had been made. The victim of the shooting was identified by police as Robert Grant Diehl, 37, of Hancock, who suffered wounds of the lower back, buttocks and legs as a result of a shotgun blast. He was found by investigating officers who were called to the scene at 3:30 a.m. On Tuesday at the intersection near the Damascus Church in Thompson Township. Investigating officers said state police were called at 11:30 p.m. Monday when a fight broke out at the Double J Bar. However on arrival of the law, several who had been involved in the fracas had left the scene and all was quiet. Names of the other men present at the time of the shooting are being withheld pending further investigation.

Two Martinsburg, Pa., youths were charged with criminal homicide on Sunday in a connection with the shotgun slaying of Janita Kaye Hill, 16, of Martinsburg, Pa. The dead girl was the daughter of former Mc- Connellsburg resident Cynthia Kies Burleson, Martinsburg, and Harry B. Hill, McConnellsburg, and the granddaughter of former county agent H.P. "Skip" Kies and his wife, Jean, of McConnellsburg and Mr. and Mrs. Lemuel Hill of Knobsville. The body was discovered by a trailbiker at 4:40 p.m. on Saturday along a dirt road in Liberty Township, Bedford County, about two miles north of Saxton and east of Route 267. Police said the 16-year-old girl was apparently killed by a single blast to the midsection from a .20 gauge shotgun and the report put the time of death at about 1:00 a.m. on Saturday. An 18-year-old and a 15-year-old boy, both of Martinsburg, were arrested on Sunday following an investigation by 20 state troopers from seven area stations.

Mr. and Mrs. Sheldon E. Waters celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary on June 16 with an open house at their home in Burnt Cabins.

Pamela Kay Swain and Gregory James Smith were united in marriage at the Hancock Presbyterian Church on June 16. Parents of the couple are Mr. and Mrs. James Swain of Hancock and Mr. and Mrs. James Smith of Big Cove Tannery.

A 40th wedding anniversary celebration was held at the Center community building on Sunday afternoon, June 10, in honor of Mr. and Mr. James and Hazel Clark of Swissvale.

A 28-inch brown trout was caught during a day of fishing by Kevin Mellott, son of Mr. and Mrs. Wilkie Mellott of Harrisonville. Kevin hooked the big fish using a night crawler as bait while angling along Wooden Bridge Creek on July 8.

Bob Uccellini was declared low net winner during the Dr. Robert E. Riggs Memorial tournament at Great Cove on Sunday.

Births at the Medical Center: a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Robert P. Schmitt of Hustontown on July 2; a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Ricky Gladhill of Hancock on July 3; a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. David E. McDonald of Chambersburg on July 4; a son to Mr. and Mrs. Alan Cowan of St. Thomas on July 5; a son to Mr. and Mrs. James Exline of Hancock on July 6.

From The Files Of July 24, 1969 '69 James F. Purnell of Wells Tannery has been appointed to serve on the Fulton County Committee of the Farmers Home Administration.

His appointment is for three years and will fill the vacancy left by Warren E. Black.

Garthwaite "Doc" Mellott of Big Cove Tannery was found safe and unharmed on the Meadow Ground Mountain last Thursday morning after wandering away from his home the morning before and spending the night in the woods. The 72-year-old man had built a makeshift shelter of stones covered with boughs in which to sleep and had stemmed the pangs of hunger by eating huckleberries.

James Gracey left for New York City on July 17 to take part in the 20th annual Odd Fellows United Natons Pilgrimmage for Youth as an observer at the United Nations headquarters. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Gracey of New Grenada and a student at Forbes Road High School.

Mr. and Mrs. Jesse McClain of Waterfall will celebrate their golden anniversary on August 3.

Mr. and Mrs. Russell Gordon and family are on a 10- day camping trip to Canada.

A son was born to Mrs. Gloria Appleby at the Medical Center on Monday around the same time that Neil Armstrong and Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., the first men to set foot on the moon, began their journey back to Earth. Mrs. Appleby is undecided as to what to name her son, but around the world new mothers are giving their babies names to commemorate the great historical event.

TV reception showing the moon landing event was poor over most the county due to the electrical storm, but cable TV subscribers had a clear, uninterrupted view of the landing on Sunday.

Births at the Medical Center: a son to Mr. and Mrs. David Carter, Warfordsburg; a son to Mr. and Mrs. Walter Douglas, Hancock, on July 14; a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Bennett, Mercersburg; a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Barthalow, Mercersburg, on July 16; a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Duane Whitsel, Orbisonia, on July 17.

50 Years Ago

From The Files Of July 23, 1959 '59 Master Sgt. and Mrs. Ralph W. Hammond and two daughters, who for the past 3-1/2 years had been living at a U.S. Air Force

base in England, arrived this week at the home of her mother, Ms. Mayme Plessinger, where they will spend some time before leaving for the sergeant's new assignment in Albuquerque, N.M.

As a result of two 2-car crashes which happened within half an hour of each other on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, near the Fort Littleton Interchange, 16 people were treated in the emergency room and of these nine were admitted to the Fulton County Medical Center on Monday morning. Of the nine admitted, two were later transferred to Harrisburg Polyclinic Hospital and on to Chambersburg Hospital. In the second crash, Dr. Robert E. Richards of Prosser, Wash., was pronounced dead at the scene. All the victims were from Pittsburgh and the states of Ohio, South Carolina and Washington.

A much-needed improvement to the town was made last week when borough employees erected signs at all street intersections, naming the streets. It is hoped that, in the near future, each house in town will bear a number, plans for which are being worked out by the borough council and the Chamber of Commerce. To add a line to the above article, The Fulton County News is located at the corner of Fifth and Market streets where it still is.

Born: a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Williams of York. Mrs. Gordon is the former Dorothy Wible of town.

The fully-clothed skeleton of a man found last Tuesday during the 12-hour search for missing 3-year-old Danny Fischer of the Crystal Spring area has definitely been identified as the remains of a 40-year-old trucker and father of five children from Indianapolis, Ind. Coroner R.C. McLucas ruled his death as suicide by inhaling the exhaust fumes from his parked truck. State police issued a word of praise for the hundreds of volunteers who aided in the search of the missing Fischer boy, who was eventually found unharmed.

In another short article on the same subject, Sgt. George Ward, who was a member of the group of voluteers sent from Letterkenny to aid in the search, suffered a broken foot while searching in the woods.

Mrs. Viola Hess of town entered Johns Hopkins Hopital in Baltimore this week to undergo major surery.

Last Tuesday, Linda Englert, 12-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Herman Englert of Knobsville, suffered a cut on the head when a limb of a tree which was being felled struck her. The next morning, the child complained of paralysis in her left leg and, upon examination, Dr. R.C. McLucas discovered that a splinter of wood had pierced the skull and was touching the brain. She was rushed to Harrisburg Polycinic Hospital for emergency brain surgery and doctors there are confident of complete recovery.

William F. Morton and Nancy Lee Pyle, both of Mc- Connellsburg, applied for a marriage license this week.

Grant Mellott of Needmore suffered severe lacerations of the left leg on Monday due to an accident with a skilsaw.

These four young men left for Pittsburgh on Tuesday for induction into the armed forces: Myron H. Golden of Warfordsburg; Neill Eugene Miller of Hancock and John McKinlay Carbaugh and Gene Elmer Kerlin, both of McConnellsburg.

Kenneth L. Glazier and Sharon Mellott were wed June 20.

Births at the Medical Center: a son to Mr. and Mrs. Donald R. Mellott of Needmore on July 15; a son to Mr. and Mrs. Richard Boden of Hustontown on July 17; a son to Mr. and Mrs. Donald Huston of Hustontown on July 18; a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Carl F. Souders of Wells Tannery on July 19.

Announcement has been made of the engagement of Mary Helen Stevens to Harry A. Mellott.

Death: Andrew J. Strait of Pittsburgh.

60 Years Ago

From The Files of July 28, 1949 '49 Local firemen fought the longest and hardest battle of their careers when they were called to the Ralph Glenn farm in Webster

Mills at midnight on Monday when newly stored hay in the barn caught fire. Firemen and neighbors worked until about 4:00 o'clock the next afternoon to remove the hay from the barn, the trucks pumping steadily until about 7:30 in the morning and then standing by for the intermitten flareups.

A community cannery is now in operation on the school ground at Warfordsburg.

The foundation for the new medical center is nearing completion despite the fact that huge rock formations have been found, necessitating the use of dynamite.

District Attorney Albert Foster underwent an operation for appendicitis at Chambersburg Hospital on Tuesday.

The Fulton County Tuberculosis and Health Assoc. was formed by a group of interested county citizens July 12.

Harold Deshong of Licking Creek lost 20 acres of wheat as a result of last Monday's flood

From The Files of July 27, 1939 '39 The sixth annual Knobsville homecoming is set for this

Saturday. One of the items on sale will be platter lunches consisting of bread or rolls and butter, meatloaf or chicken, potato salad, baked beans, coleslaw, pickles and lemonade.

Death: Ethel S. Keefer of Sylvan.

Mrs. Nell Bolen of Lexington, Neb., is now enjoying a visit east, visiting her cousins and families in Bedford and Fulton counties. She is the daughter of the late Alexander and Mary Lee Hill Schetrompf. Her father went west from Fulton County in 1876, taking as his first job the driving of a coach between Plum Creek (now Lexington) in Arrapho.

Jerre Knepper Jr., young son of Jerre Knepper of Hustontown, met with a painful accident last Saturday morning at the Knepper barn when he was struck by the ladders of a hay wagon. Knocked unconscious for several hours, he was treated by Dr. Rinard and is now being nursed by his sisters, Misses Charlotte and Grace Knepper.

King George of England installed his brother, the Duke of Kent, as the Grand Master of the Masonic Lodge of England last week. More than 12,000 Masons from all over the world, including 27 from the United States, attended the impressive ceremonies.

Recent weddings: Russell J. Ramsey and Marden Mellott on July 22; John Arthur Mahon and Dorothy Hockensmith on Saturday; J. Kenneth Waters and Dorothy Robb on July 20.

80 Years Ago

From The Files Of July 25, 1929 '29 Jacob Mellott's sawmill along the Lincoln Highway,

not far from the Magsam brick house, was burned to a mass of ruins on Tuesday night. It was the climax of a fire which was first discovered on Friday, was put out, broke into flames again on Satuday and was supposed to have been effectively extinguished, but reappeared on Tuesday night. People loafing in the shed last Friday are believed to be the cause. The mill had not been used lately.

Mrs. J.H. Covalt of Fort Littleton spent Sunday with her brother, D.W. Comer at Burnt Cabins, who is very poorly ill at this time.

Albert M. Larsen and Helen Kennedy were wed June 26.

A representative of the U.S. Department of Labor and Commerce was in town last week to make arrangements for an emergency landing field near Mc- Connellsburg. Besides the field, there will be lights on top of Tuscarora and Sideling Hill to guide airplanes passing over this area from Hagerstown to Everett. The government is laying out this new route to get away from the hazards of the previous route.

Mrs. James Chamberlain of Wells Tannery has been called to Altoona to see her daughter, Mrs. Foster Bryson, who is seriously ill in the hospital at that place.

Death: Mrs. Mary Louise Hull of Pittsburgh.

Mr. and Mrs. W.M. Patterson of Pittsburgh are receiving congratulations on the birth of their first child, a son, who has been named William Jr. The paternal grandfather is Hon. D.H. Patterson.

Born: a son, Richard Henry, on July 13 to Mr. and Mrs. Frank Johnston of Webster Mills. The Ellen Potter farm near Northcraft was sold at public sale on Saturday to Brint Long of East Pittsburgh.

Robert and Hazel Stains, twin son and daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Roswell Stains of New Grenada, were honored with a surprise party on July 17 on their 19th birthday.

Kenneth Waters of Burnt Cabins is sporting around in a new Chevy "roadster."